Sign-flasher.



C. D. PRUITT.

SIGN FLASHER.

APPLICATION man oc.6.1914.

1,242,861 Patented 001;. 9, 19V?.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

C. D. FRUITT.

SIGN FLASHER. APPLICATION FILED ocT. s. I9I4.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

.3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Id IIIIII WITNESSES- Q45 I I? @fx1 @7%.

iinirnn srnrns rarnnfr crimen.

CONRAD D. PRUITT, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'T0 WILLIAM E. JOOST, `OF ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

sien-FLASHER.

Application filed October 6, 1914. Serial'No. 865,276.

To all whom t mag/concern:

Be it known that I, CONRAD D. PnUrrr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in Sign- Flashers, of which the following lisa specin ication.

This invention relates to improvements in sign flashers vandinore particularly to means for operating the so-calledtalking signs. The principal object of my invention is to improve and simplify the means for completing the various combinations of cir'- cuits which go to form the letters in the Sign and especially to provide means for simply and easily effecting changes in the l combination of these circuits whereby the lirnessage' flashed by the sign is readily,

changed. f

In the present type of flashers for signs of this character, it requires a skilled mechanic several hoursr to change the contacts `on the circuit closing device, where the message flashed by the sign is of approximately twenty words in length. lith my improved device the means governingV` the closing of thevarious circuits kmay be changed while the4 iiasher is running by a person who is not a mechanic or electrician.

Another object of my invention is to pro-k vide ka machine 1n which the number of` changes is unlimited and not xed as intthej,

present type of machines, using a cylindrical fiasherwherein if theinachine is built for twentychanges this number must always be used. y

Still another objectojf my. invention is to provide a machine whichr is small andcompact in size and'is much less expensive to manufacture than the ashers now onthe market.' 'v y a Another object of my invention is to so arrange the circuit that there is but one contactat which the circuit is opened Vand have ing but a single Contact this may Vbemade in the best possible manner and provided. without undue expense with means to pres vent arcing.

' With these and other objects in view my' invention consists in the `novel construction andarrzingement Iof part'sas herein `dethe appended. claims. A.

" .Reference should be had to the accom`- scribed and more specifically` pointed out in Specification of Letters Patent.y

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

)an invr drawin s formino' a art of this D D vation of one of the members of this device.

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a portion of the carrying chain used with this device. f

Fig. 7 is a view of the circuit employed with the device.

Fig. 8 is a view of an intermittent motion Aused in the device.

Fig. 9 isa view in rear elevation of the Acontact mechanism for completing the circuits to the individual lights, which go t0 f form letters in the lamp bank.

Referring to corresponding parts by the same numerals of reference', l denotes the casewherein is mounted thefniechanism of (the liasher consisting of a motor 2, which through the sprocket chain 3, drives shaftk 4. This shaft through a suitable reduction gearing 5 such as a worm and wheel drives a second shaft 6 whereon is mountedthe ro.- tating contacts 7 and 8. These contacts are conductively connected throughthe sleeve 9 land insulated from shaft 6 as by means of the ber tube 10. The two sides of the elec! i trical circuit are connected to brushes 11 and 12, which bear respectively on the Contact wheels 7 and 8. The wheel 7 is continuousl t i conductive around its periphery whereas lthe wheel 8 is provided with a recessed portion 13 so that when thisportion passes under brush 12 ythe circuit is broken. v

Mounted on shafty (Slis a sprocket 14 which through the chain 15 vdrives a similar` sprocket 16 keyed to shaft V17 and this shaft drives shaft 18 through anV intermittent movement 19, consisting of a disk 20 mountrevolutcn of shaft say, about one-fourth ed on shaft 17 having on the face thereof a pin 21, which engages the slots 22 of disk 23 mounted on shaft 18. By this means each of a revolution of shaft 18, is transmitted through gears 24 and 25 to a shaft 26 mountedjin suitable bearings having keyed to its ends sprockets 27.

Each letter of my sign consists of at least 21 lamps arranged as shown in Fig. 7 'and from each lamp a conducting wire 2T is led to vthe contact means flasher. This contact device consistsof the insulating panels 28 and r29, the former 0f which carries `rowsof contact studs 30, `the number of studs in a row corresponding to the number ,of lamps in the letter andthe number of rows being equal tothe number of letters in thesign. These studs have attached on therear of the board conducting wires 27T leadin'gtothe' lamps of the sign. The panel 29 is Iprovided with contact springs 31, the free ends Aof which are adapt- Ved, to `.rest on the head of -stud 30, the other end 'being held under thev head of bolts 82. Thesebo'lts pass throughthe'panel 29'and bus bars 33, and are provided `with nuts Bfth'e bolts thus holding the springs vand ybus bar in position. The b us-bars'aie all Vconnected, in` multiple by Ameans of a strip 35, which 1is vinturn connected by conductor BGfto ouefbrush of thek circuit breaker.

springs 81 resting on their respective con- `tact pinsv 30 that all thevlampsofa given bank be illuminated and in order .to

select proper lamps to form a givenletter 1 provide the perforated sheet 38 of some insulating material such as fiber. This sheet is held in a suitable metallic reinforcingform 39 on the upper corners of which pro- 'ectpins 40. Sheetg38 is perforatedat suitablegintervals asshown at 41, slhpfof. tion being placed opposite the contact rpins the 'lamps neces-j 30,fwhich are connected to sary to form a given letter. 0f .these Sheets is twen ythe panels v2 8 and 29 the contact s pringsadjacent the perforations may rest upon their respective vcontact pins while those Wwhich are'not opposite a perforation are insulated therefrom. Thus `when vthe circuit'f`"isy established 'byy means ofV the Thus whenl one ose lights will be illuminated flash-er, only th Uvf/hiehgo to form thedesiredlletter.

To automatically shift these sheets I pro-v videthefsproc'ket vchain 42 having a swiveled attachment543 o iithe insidethereof in l sprocket chain passesaroundj and is driven by sprockets' 2 6 thenpasses in -a yvertical direction'adjacent the sidesfof panelsf28 and29 over ysprockets ,4 8 .and 447m the upper located within the 1 51 mounted in eyes 52 extending lamps remain the gears 24 and `thesprockets 27 thereon moving'thefchain" L42iin the direction ofthe arrow, 1.

y 43 are so positioned that oneof these on each chainengages the pin 40 on eachside Yof the lowermost plate of fthe pack yon the incline yways 47,1 the plate f` properly positioned ,rbe-

Aupwardly and the Aopen so that v whichA the p'ins 40 arel adapted vto seat." v,This

aijt-fgthecajse 1, thence around the sprocket 45 to thedriving sprocket. Denoted by46 which the sprocket chain 48 travels, which forms `from attachments 43 as l passes around the sprocket 45. From this point the perforated plates travel down the incline runways by gravity being suspended by-p-in 40 and at the lower end are held by a stop48.V The panel 28 is rigidly heldin position by means of suitable brackets 50 "whereas the panelrv 29 'is pivotally connected the chain` at its lower end by means of ylateral pins lower bracket 50. The upper end of this panel is positioned. by means of the lateral ears 53 resting againstthe shoulder of an extension 54 from the upper method of `mounting panel 29, theupper aboutfthev point 50 tov allow the :inspection and examination of vContact springs 31. Y,

bracket 50 yand held thereon by `means of nut 5 5.' With this Assuming that one. of the Aperforated sheets is positioned as shown in Fig. 8, the

koperation'is as follows z-f Asthe shaft 6 is rotated by motor 2, the

circuit is completed between the Vbrushes 11 and 12, over conductor 36 to the bus bars tendthrough perforations41 to` ,the "screws 30 thence over conductors 27 to the lamps l l v.through those contact springs 31 whichex-` It vvill'be evident that with all the contact which do to formrthe given letter. v These lighted throughout about two-- thirds of va revolution of shaft 6 at the lend.`

of which time thecircuit is broken by the portion 13 ,coming under the brush 12. The

23 kand moves of a revolution.

The l attachments Lion, lamps arethus extinguished andatthis time i the pin 21fent'ers oneof the slots 22,of disk l 38 between the panels 28 and 29 `is carried Y new plate takes Y itsrpo'sition. intermittent inovement =imparted to the `'chain in this mannerrisju'st sufficient to carry a new plate'intofposition. During:

this movement of the chain the circuitvisY ,1. rno flashing occurs .betweenthe contacts 3Q and V31. When the. ,new plate` is in positionthe circuitis completed :by .the disks 7. an d Whatl claim as new and Ywish .toucover by Letters Patent is:

1.. A. Hasher comprising terminal i207, Sandia newseriesof w, or ds. a're shown .on the sign.

boards,r a plurality of coactingQcontactmemlbersV ymountedy in',eaeh,off.said boards, an -pperating,niechanism, and means.normallyV disengaged from'l saidk operating mechanism. but engaged andpositionedlthere y,betweenA said terminal boards` for selectively permitting certain of said contacting members to enter into engagement;

2. A sign flasherV comprising terminal boards, a plurality of 'coacting contact members mounted in said boards, insulating sheets adapted to be positioned betweensaid terminal boards, and having openings to selectively permit said contact members to enter into engagement, and an operating mechanism normally disengaged from said sheets for moving said sheets between said terminal boards. i

3. A sign flasher comprising terminal boards, a plurality of coacting contact members mounted in said boards, insulating sheets adapted to be positioned between said terminal boards, and having openings to selectively permit said contact members to enter into engagement, an operating mechanism adapted to move said sheets between said terminal boards, said sheets being disengaged from said operating mechanism prior to being moved thereby.

Ll. il sign flasher comprising insulating terminal boards held in spaced relation, conducting contact `studs carried by one of' said boards, each of said studs being conductively connected to an element of the sign, conducting spring members carried by the other of said terminal boards and adapted to coact with said studs to complete an electrical circuit therebetween, perforated sheets adapted to be interposed between said terminal boards to selectively permit certain of the spring members to engage their respective contact studs, mechanisms for intermiti tently moving said sheets into position, said sheets being normally disengaged from said mechanisms, and means for interrupting the current during such movement.

5. A sign flasher comprising terminal boards held in spaced relation, contact studs carried by one of said boards, springs carried by the other of said boards adapted to contact with said studs, a plurality of' perforated sheets adapted toselectively permit certain of said springs to contact with their respective coacting studs, and operating mechanism for successively engaging said sheets, and moving the same between said terminal boards.

6. Afsign flasher `comprising terminal )boards held in spaced relation, a plurality of coacting contact members mounted in said boards adapted to complete an electrical circuit to the elements of the sign, an operating mechanism, interchangeable members adapted to be moved between said terminal boards, means carried by said operati ing mechanism for engaging said members ,to move them between said terminal boards,

and means for opening the electrical circuit while said interchangeable members are be ing moved into position.

7. A sign flasher comprising terminal boards, a plurality of coacting contact members mounted in said boards, interchangeable insulating sheets adapted to be posi-y tioned between said boards, said sheets having perfor-ations adapted to permit predetermined ones of said coacting members to enter into contact, an operating mechanism for movingsaid sheets between said terminal boards, an inclined trackway adaptedto hold saidV sheets, means Vcarried by said operating mechanism for lifting said sheets be- 9. A sign flasher comprising insulatingV terminal boards held in spaced relation, conducting contact studs carried by one of said boards, each of said studs being conductively connected to an element of the sign, conducting spring members carried by the other of said terminal boards and adapted to coact with said studs to complete an electrical circuit therebetween, perforated sheets adapted to be positioned between said terminal boards to selectively permit certain of the spring members to engage their respective contact studs, laterally projecting pins carried by the upper edge of said sheets, endless flexible chains having a portion adjacent and parallel the ends of said boards, swiveled attachments carried by said chains adapted to engage the said projecting pins, means for intermittently moving said chains an amount sufficient to remove the said sheet positioned between said boards* and place in position the neXt succcedingvsheet, and means for interrupting the electrical current while said changes are being eected.

l0. A sign flasher comprising terminal boards, a plurality of coacting contact members mounted in said boards, insulating sheets adapted to be moved between said bars positioned between the ends of said boards ands-said "chains, said bars being adapted'to lift therods of said sheets from said'wattaohlnentsat one point of the chain travelfand deliver said rods thereto atanother'point,V and means for imparting an intermittent' 'movement' simultaneously to said chainsf. 3

11; vA sign 4flasher comprisingq insulatingv terminal boards held in'spac'ed relation7 a plurality 'of coaeting' Contact members mounted .in said boards, insnlating sheets (logies gf this patent mayrhe obtained for adapted to be moved between said sheets, inclinedtraoks holding a'pluralityof said sheets, operating mechanism 'i adapted to raise the lowermost of said sheets between said boards and deposit the same ony the npl per end of said traolway's.

ln testimony Wbereoi'l afx my signature v in presence of tWo witnesses. 1

f CONRAD ,'D. rnnrrr i Viitnesses: V. A. STOCK,

R. M. OYARZO.

ve cents each, by addressing thercommissioner of Patents, Washingtony 110.6.Y Y y' Y ff 

